Well....like I've said in my previous diary entries, I'm going to be interviewed to
be able to join the school trip to Canada. Today, me and the other students were
interviewed.
The supposed interview time was on 11:40 (for me, each student have a designated
time) but then there was an announcement and it said that the interview will be 10
minutes earlier, which means my time is on 11:30. We also have to change and wear our
school uniform and go to the waiting room before our interview time. (11:20)
3rd class was Math and it started at 10:45 and will end at 11:35. I was looking at
the clock every minute and I was slightly shaking that I can't write properly. XD
When the clock strike 11:20, I excused myself to go to the waiting room.
Inside the waiting room, there was this guy and he said that he has to take 2
pictures of me. While he was taking it...my mind was totally blank and my smile
was...forced, which wasn't a good thing. >_<
After a few minutes of waiting, Natsumi's interview was finished. Before she went
back to the classroom, she also wished me luck. ^_^
Then, here comes the dreaded part.
I slid the door open, (the room's door was not a normal door, it's a Fusuma) I bowed and said "Excuse me"
(Shitsurei shimasu). Now, I was so nervous that I hurriedly closed the door instead
of pausing and looking at the people in the eye. I also thought that there was only
one person who's gonna interview us but there were 5.
After closing the door, I greeted them (Konnichiwa) and someone offered a seat. I was
in the middle and was facing the head of the ABE. (Ashoro Board of Education) The
person who offered me a seat asked me my name and age and at first, I wondered if I
should answer in English or in Japanese so I asked which one is preferable and he
answered "In Japanese, please".
After that, the second person asked me what Ashoro's unique specialty or something of
that sort and I wasn't able to answer the first 5 seconds. My mind was blank and even
if I tried thinking, it was no use so I just answered "When you meet a kid at the
street, they'll greet you". XD!!!
XD
Well...that's what the teachers say about us! If you ran across us, we'll greet you
happily and many teachers said that that is Ashoro's specialty during their
speeches!! XD
Then, the same person asked me how to describe Japan to the Canadians that may ask
what Japan is like. There, I wasn't able to answer. I spent the whole 1 minute
thinking something up and kept staring at different things inside the room in hopes
of having an idea. I was taking a bit long and kept repeating "Japan is..." and the
guy just smiled and said that it's okay if I can't answer it. u.u
The next person asked me the bloody question that I was too stupid not to answer!
T_T
The guy asked me if I know the name of the head of ABE (which was sitting opposite me
and was looking at me at the time) and because I wasn't able to hear what the guy
said (I didn't ask him to repeat the question @_@), I hurriedly said "I don't know"
and...the said guy (the head of ABE) was like...probably pissed? Because I said I
don't know? (His name was Katou...Kazuhiro? Yeah...I think.) Next question was if I
can speak English. He said that Canadian people speaks English and he wanted to know
if I can speak English too. (He also said that it's okay even if I can't.) I blurted
out "Yes, yes, yes, I can" and they all laughed. XD
The next person to ask me is Inuma-san, I've talked to him many times since I came to
Japan and he was the one translating things for me when I don't know Japanese back
then. He said that he's gonna ask me a few English questions to test my "English
skills". He just asked me about what my favorite subject is, what I do in my spare
time, what my favorite book is and what genre I like.
Then...the next one to ask me was the head of ABE (I know I keep repeating this
phrase...I just don't know what to call him so give me some slack. XD) and he asked
me...weird questions. XD It sounded weird to me because his voice was weird and I
wasn't able to understand the questions unless I repeat it inside my head.
The first question he asked me is who's the person that I open up to/talk to the
most. I was thinking if it was wise to tell them the name of my best friend but in
the end, I didn't and I just answered that I open up to a friend of mine. He also
asked me if it's okay with me if I became the leader of the group (10 Junior High
School students, 5 High School students) or their sub-leader or an assistant. I was
confused and wanted to answer "I believe that I have the ability to do any of those"
but I blurted out that "Any of those positions would be fine". >_<
They then told me that the interview is finished and told me that my Japanese has
improved. I bowed down several times and I became MORE nervous after hearing their
questions and finding myself not able to answer them. I thanked them, walked to the
door, excused myself once again and went out.
UGHH!! There's a possibility that I will fail because...I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HEAD OF
THE ABE'S NAME IS!! Ughh!! T_T My answers were also stupid...(except for my English
answers). Since I'm still learning Japanese, (it takes YEARS for a person to learn
Japanese, dudez, just so you know) I can't think intelligently (is that a word? XD)
and can't give them great answers but if it's English or Tagalog, I can because my
vocabulary is wide in those languages. T_T
When school was over, I was in a random classroom trying to study what I missed on
today's Math lesson when I suddenly heard Hara-sensei's voice announcing that I come
to the Student Council's meeting room. I was SO surprised to be called and wondered
what she wanted for I wasn't part of the Student council. (In this semester only, I'm
gonna be a part of it on...October or so.) When I came there, she was like..."Don't
you have anything to say?" and I apologized that I was late and she started lecturing
me, telling me that I made them wait and I should come at the right time.
Now, after her short lecture (yeah, it was short, just 2 to 3 minutes), I sat beside
my classmate and found out that this meeting is about the upcoming sports festival of
our school and I was part of the group where you prepare the things needed. (e.g.
Jumping rope, balls, batons etc.) Then, when the meeting was over, I was walking back
to the classroom and when I ALMOST bumped into a teacher. XD
When I was walking home, it rained. u.u Ahh, what a great day this is today...

Last edited: 14 May 2009

The following people said "Hello!" because they enjoyed reading the diary:

at least you tried your best...
^^
there are still possibility that you can get accepted...
cause your good in english...
i bet they understand about not able to answer...
cause you said your not good at japanese...
Good luck...^^

i think christine is right. they will probably look to select a few
of the best english speakers because no matter how good or polite or
whatever the others are, from those interacting with the group, it
will be done with those who speak english and also you would be able
to serve as a liason between the students and others and what occurs,
so you would enhance their experience...
if your english is excellent you will probably be selected...